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Genetic diversity in Pareuchaetes insulata and its implications for biological control of Chromolaena odorata

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Abstract

Chromolaena odorata (L.) King & H.E. Robins. (Asteraceae) threatens several economic and environmental activities in the eastern subtropical regions of South Africa and is a target for biological control. Three populations of Pareuchaetes insulata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) originating from Florida (USA), Cuba and Jamaica were released at 30 separate sites in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Subsequent overlapping of two of these populations in the field and the likelihood of interbreeding posed a potential risk of establishment failure. To explore the genetic diversity of the different P. insulata populations and test for the existence of pre- and post-zygotic reproductive isolation between them, molecular analyses and cross-mating experiments were conducted. Mitochondrial DNA sequences revealed significant genetic similarity between them. Cross-mating trials between Floridian and Jamaican populations of P. insulata revealed no significant pre- and post-zygotic isolation, with no demonstrable differences in measured parameters between the ‘parental’ populations, the F1 ‘hybrids’ and the backcrosses. These results suggest that P. insulata populations released in South Africa are part of the same ‘parental’ population. Genetic incompatibility is, therefore, relatively unlikely to be the cause of any failure in establishment of P. insulata at any of the release sites.

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Acknowledgments

The molecular study was funded by the Agricultural Research Council and Working for Water Programme (South Africa), while the biology and crossbreeding studies were conducted as part of an M.Sc. project by the senior author under the Professional Development Programme of the ARC, funded by the Department of Science and Technology (South Africa). Mrs M. Whitwell (KZN Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs) is thanked for assistance with statistical analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural Research Council, Plant Protection Research Institute, Private Bag X6006, Hilton, 3245, South Africa

    Nontembeko Dube & Costas Zachariades

  2. School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa

    Nontembeko Dube, Costas Zachariades, Terence Olckers & Des Conlong

  3. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, South Africa

    Yoseph Assefa

  4. South African Sugarcane Research Institute, Private Bag X02, Mount Edgecombe, 4300, South Africa

    Des Conlong

Authors
  1. Nontembeko Dube
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  2. Yoseph Assefa
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  3. Costas Zachariades
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  4. Terence Olckers
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  5. Des Conlong
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Correspondence to Nontembeko Dube.

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Handling Editor: John Scott.

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Dube, N., Assefa, Y., Zachariades, C. et al. Genetic diversity in Pareuchaetes insulata and its implications for biological control of Chromolaena odorata . BioControl 59, 253–262 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-013-9558-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-013-9558-3

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